The speedsters of the DC Universe have come to define the superhero landscape. Thanks to the work of the two original Flashes, Jay Garrick and Barry Allen, the speedsters have come to expand to include a variety of heroes and villains, with the Speed Force itself becoming a crucial aspect of the structure of reality.
Despite the impact that speeders have had on DC Comics, there's still a lot of things that fans don't know about the fastest people in the world. From who has the most speed, to what the Speed Force really is and the other ways in which someone can become a speedster; there's a lot of questions that need answering.
10 Wally West Is The Fastest Flash
There's a great number of heroes that could lay claim to the Flash name in some way. But, the original Kid-Flash is actually the fastest of all of them. For years Wally West seemed like quite the threat for Barry Allen.
After the reboot, Wally was replaced with Wallace. However, he eventually made his return, determined to restore his children. He raced across the globe at great speeds and not even the Flash or Superman could catch up to him.
9 There Is A Negative Speed Force
While fans are aware of the Speed Force many don't know that there's a much darker entity that villains like the Reverse-Flash tap into, in order to try and gain some kind of unlimited power. It's called the Negative Speed Force.
This darker version of something so pure actually plays into the Dark Multiverse itself. It takes a great toll on someone to use the Negative Speed Force and there's something unnatural about it; but it can allow someone like Eobard Thawne to move faster than the average speedster.
8 There Are Seven Forces In The Universe
The Speed Force may be important to speedsters, but there are 7 forces in total that can drastically affect the balance of the Universe. Speedsters are an important part of the puzzle though, acting as avatars of sorts for the Speed Force.
There's the Speed Force and its opposite; the emotional and invisible spectrum used by the Lantern Corps,;the Life Force and Tear of Extinction; The Sphere of Gods and Void Wind; the Dimensional Superstructure; and Sixth Note, the Collective Unconscious and the Black Apple and faithfulness/faithlessness. On top of that, there are things like the Strength Force as well.
7 The Still Force Is The Opposite
Every major force has an opposite and equal force that stands against it. For the Flash and his Speed Force, the opposite is actually the Still Force. This is an entity that stops momentum and therefore stops speedsters.
One of the Flash's main enemies, the Turtle, has actually used the abilities of the Still Force in order to combat the fastest man alive. It's therefore quite a dangerous piece of opposition to any speedsters in the DC Universe.
6 Different Speedsters Unlock Different Gifts
The Speed Force can have an unusual effect on different people. While some heroes like the Flash can unlock most of its gifts, others may discover different secrets that only they can control. Not all speedsters are alike.
The basic ability to move fast is obviously something that they all have in common. But, everything from a Speed Force aura, to energy projection and even creating duplicates of someone. There's so much more to discover for speedsters about their gifts.
5 The Use Of Velocity 9
There's actually another way to become a speedster, but it is often looked down upon and can be very dangerous. A drug called Velocity 9 was developed in order to artificially create the Speed Force.
Inertia is the one character in the DC Universe known to use this drug repeatedly, but it has warped his mind. He has become more cruel and villainous, and if the Flash had his way, then Velocity 9 would be destroyed for good.
4 A Speedster Grim Reaper
Death comes in many forms and for speedsters they actually have their own version of the Grim Reaper, who will hunt them down if they have broken the code of the Speed Force. He is known as the Black Flash.
This creature is absolutely terrifying. A speedster himself, the character is relentless in his pursuit for those who have done wrong. It's one of the many dangers that comes with the life of a speedster.
3 Aided By Mathematics And Physics
One of the strange things about the Speed Force and the way it impacts speedsters is that it can actually be understood through mathematics and physics. This isn't some kind of magical entity.
This is actually something that can be fully explained scientifically. In the past, speedsters have even gained their powers simply through mathematical equations. There's therefore a lot to learn in regards to the real data behind the super speed.
2 Can Be Passed On Genetically
It has been proven that the abilities of a speedster can actually be passed on genetically. There have been numerous examples of the kids of speedsters also having some kind of super speed in their DNA.
Indeed, Barry Allen's kids, Iris and Jai West, both have super speed. They have used this speed to become heroes themselves, with the character of XS being inspired by this in the TV adaptation.
1 Not Everyone Fast Is A Speedster
There are plenty of characters in the DC Universe that are super fast, but that doesn't make them a speedster. To be a speedster, the character must be able to tap into the Speed Force running through all of reality.
Characters like Wonder Woman and Superman have their speed thanks to their Greek or Kryptonian heritage. Other characters like the second Captain Boomerang claims they are some kind of meta-human gene that's been passed on.